April 10, 2006

The UCLA Athletic Department is proud to announce the construction of the Spieker Aquatic Center. The project is scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2008 and is located at the Sunset Canyon Recreation Center on campus. The facility, which will house a 52-meter x 25-yard deep-water pool and diving well (1m/3m boards, 5m/10m tower), will break ground in the summer of 2007.

Thanks to the generous lead gift of former student-athlete Tod Spieker and his wife Catherine, the aquatic center dream will become reality. Spieker, a 1971 UCLA graduate, swam for the Bruins from 1968-1971 and was an All-American in 1969. Presently, he and his family reside in Atherton, CA.

Tod is the President of Spieker Companies, a multi-family and apartment complex company located in Palo Alto, CA. Spieker continues to compete in the Master's swim program, and was inducted into the International Master's Swimming Hall of Fame in 2005. The Spieker family gift is currently the second largest donation in UCLA Athletics' history.

"Catherine and I are very pleased to make the lead gift for the new Aquatic Center to benefit UCLA's Aquatic programs," said Spieker. "Quite frankly, it was an easy decision for us to make this gift. The benefits I received as a student-athlete at UCLA have assisted me throughout my adult life. Now that we are in a position to give back, we want to see those same benefits provided for current and future Bruin student-athletes. The Aquatic Center will allow UCLA to compete at the highest intercollegiate level."

In making the announcement, UCLA Director of Athletics Dan Guerrero and his staff are thrilled that the long-time vision and planning has finally become reality. "We are thrilled with the opportunity to make such a wonderful announcement. That our women's swim team has remained nationally competitive while using a pool built for the 1932 Olympics is incredible. Even more remarkable are the achievements of both water polo programs. This new venue, designed specifically for intercollegiate athletic competition, will allow the UCLA Swimming, Diving and Water Polo programs to fulfill their unlimited potential. UCLA is about champions and championships, and this was an important and necessary step to insure future success. We are thankful for Tod and Catherine's lead gift and for making our dream come true." Guerrero said.

The UCLA Athletic Department is working in conjunction with UCLA's Cultural and Recreational Affairs to develop the new center. Once completed, the Spieker Aquatic Center will offer the opportunity to not only host UCLA athletic events, but Master's swimming events and individual and club swim meets and U.S. Water Polo events, along with regional, national and international competition.

Diving would be able to host U.S. Diving Senior National Preliminary Championships, as well as U.S. Diving Senior National Championships in the new facility. The new pool will also allow UCLA to host annual collegiate and junior diving invitationals (ie, The Bruin Invite/JO Regionals and Zones, with the hope of hosting a Junior National Championship). The state-of-the-art facility will bring together all three of UCLA's intercollegiate aquatic sports - water polo, swimming and diving - in one venue.

The $10-million project includes a clubhouse that will contain locker rooms, coaches' offices and meeting rooms which currently do not exist for intercollegiate aquatics. The Spieker Aquatic Center will be a lighted facility and will hold 800 spectators in the permanent grandstand. For large-scale events, UCLA will have the ability to seat an additional 1,700 spectators in temporary seating.

Head Swim Coach Cyndi Gallagher
"We are very elated about the prospect of having a 50-meter pool dedicated to intercollegiate athletics on our campus. We are looking forward to the many, many opportunities the new swimming and diving center can bring to the aquatic sports at UCLA and are appreciative of the donors that are making this a reality."

Head Water Polo Coach Adam Krikorian
"We are excited that soon we will be able to practice, compete and host events in a state of the art facility that meets the excellence of both our water polo programs. The aquatic programs at UCLA are about team champions and world class student-athletes. The Spieker Aquatic Center proves there is a commitment by our university, athletic department, and alumni to further enhance the total experience for our student-athletes."

Diving Coach Tom Stebbins
"I couldn't be happier to be a part of this announcement. Our coaches and student-athletes are grateful to the Spieker family, the volunteers, and administration for creating an opportunity for UCLA aquatics to prosper over the next fifty years. This is a huge improvement for the diving program. We look forward to hosting as many events as possible and bringing the diving community to UCLA, something we have never been able to do."